Numerical filtering for the operation of robotic manipulators through kinematically singular configurations

Abstract The loss of independent degrees of freedom at singular configurations is an inherent characteristic of robotic manipulators. Due to the unavoidable singularity of mechanical wrists, singular configurations cannot be avoided by simply restricting the bounds of the workspace. Techniques for operating at singular configurations without inducing unacceptably high joint velocities or end effector tracking errors are presented. Extensions to the damped least‐squares formulation which incorporate estimates of the proximity to singularities and selective filtering of singular components are illustrated. The generality of the technique presented is illustrated in a computer simulation of a commercially available manipulator operating through singular configurations.